


you were always my north star

by lovebeyondmeasure



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: (not enough to tag any of them yet but they're here), Canon Compliant, Drabble and a Half, F/M, Frankly! This is wish fulfillment, Jaime Goes North, Now featuring the remaining Starks, Season 8 What-if, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-15
Updated: 2017-09-29
Packaged: 2018-12-30 08:14:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12104493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovebeyondmeasure/pseuds/lovebeyondmeasure
Summary: A flash of gold caught her eye by the gates. She did not look; hope was for maidens and fools.A snippet of canon compliant what-if wish fulfillment set in season eight, now featuring a much longer second chapter.





	1. Chapter 1

Brienne panted harshly in the frigid air.

“Again!” she shouted, watching the line of men run through their training. She noted a weak swing here, an unsteady stance there, wondering how many would survive the winter to come. Not enough, she knew.

“Again!” She paced the line, correcting what she could. A flash of gold caught her eye by the gates. She did not look; hope was for maidens and fools.

When the gate guards began shouting for Jon Snow, then she looked. And there he stood. Greyed, frozen, but unmistakably Jamie. Standing tall, proud. Alone.

She began walking toward the gate. Jaime hadn't seen her yet. The men watched him suspiciously.

“Let him in!” she called. The men turned to look her. “Let him in!” she called again. Jaime’s eyes were hooded, but fixed on her with something like hunger, something like hope.

The gate began, slowly, to rise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was originally prompted to write 150 words of Jamie and Brienne, so that's the first chapter. Here, have some complete wish fulfillment. It's exactly as terrible as the show, except Jaime and Brienne are in the same place on the same side, so it's 10000% better. I am a disaster for these two.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And now it was only the two of them, alone in this chill room, and Brienne had run out of words.

In a room made echoing silent by the departures of the remaining Starks, Brienne looked at Jaime. He had been mostly silent in the face of the family he had done so much wrong to, speaking only to answer their questions; she had done the speaking, arguing passionately in his favor.

The only exception had been when he saw Bran; he had aged ten years in a moment, when Bran Stark was brought into the room. He had knelt by the boy’s chair, had pressed his face to the boy’s cold hand.

“I do not ask your forgiveness,” he’d whispered. “I will never forgive myself.”

Bran had turned unseeing eyes to stare into the Kingslayer’s face, gaunter and greyer than it had been so many years ago. The boy had nodded, once, and withdrawn his hand; Jaime had stood and bowed his head.

“My family has done much wrong to yours,” he’d said quietly to the room, which had fallen silent when Bran appeared. “I myself have done you many wrongs, and there is nothing I can do that would begin to atone for them. But please. Allow me to join you in battle against the White Walkers. It would be my duty and honor to stand with you in this.” He had lifted his eyes to them, and Brienne had nearly gasped at the look on his face; this was the Jaime she had hoped for, had known he could be.

Jon had shaken his head; Sansa’s face was pale and drawn, her eyes hard.

“Why should we believe you now? How can we trust you?” Arya’s voice was cutting.

“I do not know; if I were in your place, I do not know that I could trust myself,” Jaime had said, bare honesty in his voice. “But I had to come.”

He’d glanced towards her, then. 

“The lords will never accept him,” Sansa had said grimly. Jon had simply glowered. 

Brienne took a deep breath. “I will stand for him,” she’d said.

And after more arguing, Jaime accepting their bitter words as his due, they had agreed: if Jaime would swear to the North, kneel to the King, and Brienne would stand for him, the Kingslayer could stay.

And now it was only the two of them, alone in this chill room, and Brienne had run out of words.

Jaime simply stared at her, a touch of his old insolence returning in the appraising flick of his eyes.

“The North agrees with you,” he said. “You look well here.”

“Why did you come, Jaime?” The words felt as though they’d been torn from her throat. She could barely meet his eyes. “After all that, why did you come?”

He took a step closer. “Brienne,” he said hoarsely. “Brienne, I had to.”

“But why?” She pulled what dignity she had around her like a cloak.

He reached his flesh hand towards her face, and Brienne closed her eyes. 

“I had to come,” he said again. “Because you looked me in the eyes and told me fuck honor. Because you believed in them, and Cersei will close her eyes against the Long Night until we all die. Because Brienne,” and now he was touching her face, and she wasn’t breathing. “I had to see you safe. I have to protect you.”

“I can protect myself,” she snapped on reflex, eyes flying open. Jaime’s fond smile was so familiar to her in that moment.

“I know you can, wench. But I could not stand by and watch you fight these creatures alone.” His thumb stroked her cheekbone. She shuddered slightly but held his gaze.

“They do not want you here. They will call you Kingslayer and Oathbreather, will spit on you behind your back.”

“And most likely to my face,” he agreed. “But it is a small price to pay to know I am doing what is right, for perhaps the first time in my life.”

Their faces were too close together. His eyes burned to hot on her face. Brienne turned away, closing her eyes once more, unable to stand it for another moment but unable to pull away.

“Jaime,” she said, achingly soft. “I’m glad you came.”

He leaned forward, and Brienne did not know what to do; he touched their foreheads together, his hand slipping around to cradle the back of her head.

“As am I, wench,” he whispered. 

And they stood like that, without any need for words, breathing each other's air, for a delicate, infinite moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You asked for more, I did my best. These two... they'll be the death of me.

**Author's Note:**

> Second chapter written by demand; thank you to everyone who left kudos and comments. Such things fuel me. I can write more if people are interested.
> 
> You can find me any time @ lovebeyondmeasure.tumblr.com


End file.
